Fogarty International Center

Dear Research Advocate, Former Congressman John Porter, Research!America’s esteemed Chair Emeritus, does not mince words in his Washington Post LTE today, cautioning against state-level education policies that could be misused to subvert science education. Treating knowledge that has been affirmed by years of scientific exploration as negotiable jeopardizes our nation’s ability to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities before us. It is a path to decline rather than progress. We cannot afford to shy away from straight talk about misguided policies. Fortunately for our nation, John never does. This afternoon, the House Labor-H Subcommittee, formerly chaired by Mr. Porter, “marked up...

Dear Research Advocate, The news is concerning. President Trump’s proposed FY18 budget , released on Tuesday, fails to embrace national priorities including research and innovation that directly impact health, economic prosperity and national security. Steep cuts for federal research and health agencies run counter to American values and public expectations that research be put to work at the level of scientific opportunity, in order to advance health and quality of life and to drive the economy. The president’s proposed budget cuts $1.7 trillion over 10 years, almost all of it from non-defense discretionary programs. The FY18 budget proposes cuts of $7.2 billion or 21% for NIH; $1.2...

Dear Research Advocate, During a visit today to Augusta University, which is home to the former Medical College of Georgia, I heard grad students distill their multiple-hour thesis presentations into 3 minutes. You may be familiar with the “ 3MT ” concept, but this was my first experience of it. What a terrific grounding for researchers who want to engage in public outreach and advocacy! I also heard-- not for the first time-- that grad students in science want communications training, but rarely receive it. More widespread adoption of 3MT would undoubtedly help bridge that gap. During a House Labor-H Subcommittee hearing this week focused on NIH, champions from both sides of the aisle...

Dear Research Advocate, This Saturday, advocates will celebrate science at events in Washington, D.C., and hundreds of cities across the globe to call attention to the value of science -- how it impacts our health, economy and planet. I encourage you to participate in the March for Science in your local communities and help us raise awareness of scientific progress. Our new video featuring one of our science fellows will be shown on jumbotrons on the National Mall in D.C. during the event. Read more about this celebration in our Board Chair’s statement , my op-ed in the Miami Herald and an LTE by Research!America’s Suzanne Ffolkes in the Hartford Courant. The March is the beginning of a...